Jones vs. Jones

The first time I heard Jones vs. Jones, I was hooked by that bassline that sounds like a deep, steady heartbeat, almost hypnotic. It's not a track that stands out in the eighties rankings, but it has something that makes it instantly recognizable: that groove that seems to move in circles, as if the rhythm never quite closes. The drums come in with military precision, but it's not that dry punch of James Brown's songs; here everything sounds rounder, as if each note breathes before it lands. The bass doesn't just carry the melody; it stretches it, giving it that air of conversation between instruments where no one wants to give up their turn.

Recorded in 1980, Jones vs. Jones appeared on Celebrate!, an album the band put together in Los Angeles with Deodato's production. They weren't trying to sound like anyone in particular, but the result ended up being a curious mix: funk with disco touches, without losing that street essence that always defined them. The track lasts just over four minutes, enough time for the bass and horns to tangle in a relentless dialogue. That it's not the most famous hit on the album —Celebration holds that spot— doesn't take away from its merit: it's one of those songs that, if you play it at just the right moment, makes you move your feet without you even realizing it.